Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-11-12
THE WONDERFUL ISLAND.

4
Land and Sea, which I picked up the
other day, ] saw brief reference to the
strange adventures of Captain Wheaton
OF the ship Starlight. Among all the
forecasile yarns | ever heard, that story
takes the medal, and whca am through
-eiailng 1t the reader will be as much
mystlticd as have always been regarding
1t. Indeed, ! never yet met sailor who
did not firmly believe in the truth of
Captain Wheaton's every statement. |
tell the story because was an actor in
the first and last chapters.
1t was in October, 1859, that shipped
as second mate on the Starlight, which
was then lying in the port of Honolulu.
She was au old whaler, and had been sold
at auction and chcaply rciitted for a
voyage TO Lima and return, in the in
tercsts of some California shippers. We
left nort in ballast only, and were
two men short OF :. complement. Capt.
Wheaton was Barn 'sat man, and the
crew all English-spealing people, and
for the first fortnight TO ship ever hld
better weather Ihe Captain, as
understood him, was an earnest consci-
entious man, being above the average in
point of intelligence, and of strictly
temperate habits. The first mate brought
demijohn Of whiskey aboard the day
before sailing, but the Captain made him
ship 1t ashore at once, and lie cautioned
the forccastle men that he would clap
the man in irons who was found the
worse for liquor. The men used to slyly
refer TO him as ''the Sunday-school
Superintendent, and | believe he was
/ good enough 10 have filled the bill.
At the end of the fortnight the fine
weather was broken by rousing gale,
which struck us during my night watch,
and all hands had to be called. We
had hard time of it during the
first hour, aud were finally com
pclled 10 lie to, and it was
while VIC were bringing the ship to
the wind that the Captain was washed
OseEbeard-by "A heavy sea which boarded
us. With him went one of the sailors,
the hencoops, several spare spars and
hooms, and a lot of deck rattle, and by
the time the ship had shaken herself clear
OF the foam it was loo late to reuderany
assistance Indeed, it was a serious
question just then whether any of us
did not break for nearly twenty four
hours, ard The old ship was so strained
and knocked about that her life was
ended. The gale had scarcely abated
when she began to leak faster than the
pumps could throw the water out, and
on the seventeenth day of the voyage we
had TO abandon her. When we had been
aflolt for four days in the open boats we
were picked up by the American bark
Yankee Boy, bound from Boston to San
Francisco. We were then to the north
of the equator, and fully 100 miles from
the Galapagos Islands, These islands lie
good distance 10 the left of the true
course from Honolulu to Lima, and at
that date every one of them was well
known, and all were inhabited by natives
who could speak more or less English.
Now, as we got the gale dead from the
/ North, and as the send of the sea was
Southward for several days. Captain
Wheaton could not possibly have been
fioated toward the Galapagos. He must
have been driven down toward the
equator, or possibly toward the Mar
guesas group. although 10 reach any OF
those islands he would have had to drive
for hundreds of miles and for days and
weeks. How was man swept over
board in a gale to sustain himself above
a few hours, even if not drowned at
once. Ask yourself these questions, and
YOU will answer them as all others have
done, and you W II be as greatly mysti-
fed over the Captains story.
On the fourth day of September, 1860,
as the English whaling ship Lady Bas-
combc WAS nearing the equator, being
about midway between the Marquesas
group and the Galapagos, and the time
being / | o'clock at night, she was hailed
from out Of the darkness, and five min
utcs later had Captain Wheaton aboard.
lie had then been afloat for three days
and half on a small out well con-
structed raft, which was provided with
sail, and had carried him safely and
buoyantly an timated distance of 120
miles. The Captain was in good health
and spirits, but could answer no ques-
tions until he had seen the Captain of
/ the Bascombe The sa lors knew that he
must have been wrecked, but that he
should be alone and in such seeming good
health in that dfcary spot was a great
mystery TO tnem Captain Moore Of the
I fascombe had heard Of the loss Of the
Starlight, and when Captain Wheaton
introduced himsclfhe created big sensa-
ii0n. lie was at first taken for AN i'm
poster, but he had letters and documents
in his pocket to prove his identity at once.
Tnat being settled, he told his story. |
have heard him tell it four or five times
over, and can relate it almost word for
word
When Captains Wheaton was swept
orcrboard he gave himself up foF lost.
lie got but one look at the ship, and
realizing that she was driving away from
him and he was beyond rescue, he ceased
swimming and hoped TO drown At once.
/ Just then hencoop folted within reach.
end in second he changed his mind
aud fastened to the float. lie was clear
on the point Of floating all that day and